Although published in 1992, Poor Things is a statement on women in the Victorian Era, and their lack of equal rights and social standing. The novel is infused with humor, and often "mansplains" feminism. After all, the book was, fictionally, written by a Victorian Era man.
Alasdair Gray is also an artist, and there are quite a few illustrations throughout the course of the novel. The cover illustration also makes it look more playful, and, at first glance, it may look like a children's book. However, this design was most likely intentional, and was meant to stress the fact how some men view women as children.
The cover of Poor Things shows a women, Bella Baxter, cuddled up and perhaps hiding from something with her husband, Archibald McCandless. McCandless is illustrated as being big and strong, and able to protect Bella. This coincided with beliefs at the time that men were the head of the household, and women were meant to do domestic house chores.
